30 November 2023, Thursday

Despite the late night last night, I woke up naturally at 5:15am this morning but lazed around till 5:45am before I climbed out of bed. I had a simple breakfast in the hostel before leaving at 6:38am and walked to Perth station to catch the train to Fremantle. I picked G Hostel Perth for its great location – the train station was just a 7-minute-walk away.

After buying my single-trip ticket for A$5.10 (S$4.47), I went to Platform 7 and waited for the next train to Fremantle, which was arriving 12 minutes later. You’ll need to look at the signboard carefully because the train to Claremont also stops at the same platform, so don’t just blindly hop on any train that pulls up.

My train departed Perth station at 7:00am sharp and it was a very smooth and comfortable ride to Fremantle, arriving at 7:31am. I read somewhere that the train ride takes an hour so I was surprised that it took only half the time. Upon alighting, I walked a short distance to B Shed Terminal to catch my ferry to Rottnest Island. However, I was very early as my Rottnest Express ferry was only departing at 8:30am, so I had 45 minutes to spare.

Besides Rottnest Express (click here), there is another company called SeaLink (click here) that operates ferry services to Rottnest Island. Both companies have physical ticket offices at Fremantle, located near the train station. Both companies offer similar fares but I chose Rottnest Express because of the Telethon Saver weekday travel online discount. Click here to read my Day 3 blog post to find out how you can enjoy the Telethon Saver discount.

I found a small café called Squiffies and bought a large cup of flat white coffee (A$5/S$4.38) and a ham & cheese croissant (A$5.50) to go. Squiffies is located in E Shed Markets, a waterfront market selling food products, local handicrafts, antiques, collectibles and fashion items. It is open only on the weekends, from Fridays to Sundays, 9am to 8pm. As I was there on a Thursday morning, only Squiffies was open, ostensibly to cater to weekday visitors to Rottnest Island.

With my coffee in hand, I walked around the Victoria Quay area to while the time away. The North Quay berths of the Fremantle Ports were across the water, with shipping containers stacked neatly by the waterfront and large quay cranes moving containers onto the ships. Fremantle Ports is Western Australia’s largest and busiest general cargo port. I also saw the WA Maritime Museum, which showcases Fremantle’s past, present and future as a coastal city and port.

At 8:15am, I joined the queue to board the red-and-white Rottnest Express. The ferry had two levels of seating areas. When I boarded, the ferry was already quite full. I chose the outdoor seating area on the upper deck, which was sheltered but not air-conditioned. I had a front row seat and a good view of the staff loading various pieces of cargo onto the ferry. At 8:33am, we departed B Shed Terminal and sailed west across the deep blue waters, arriving at Rottnest Island at 9:05am.

The area around the settlement at the Main Jetty was where most of the restaurants and amenities on the island could be found. It was quite busy, with many school groups and locals out here enjoying this glorious morning with clear blue skies and a pleasant temperature of 23 degrees C. After using the bathroom at the Visitor Centre, I walked to Pedal & Flipper Rottnest Hire to rent a bicycle. There was a line but it moved quickly.

I rented a pedal bike for A$30 (S$26.28) and paid an additional A$5 for a basket so that I could put my bag in it. The bike hire was for 24 hours, so I felt it was reasonably priced. For those who prefer a more relaxing ride, E-bikes are also available but they were all fully rented out that day. Helmets are compulsory and they are provided. At 9:38am, I started my cycling adventure.

I had been to Rottnest Island twice before and I enjoyed it tremendously, so that was why I decided to come back again for a third time. Cycling on Rottnest Island is really enjoyable because of the superb ocean views all around. The island is not very big – 11km at its longest and 4.5km at its widest. There are not many trees to provide shelter so you will be exposed to the sun, so remember to bring sunscreen. The terrain is quite hilly, with a series of gently undulating hills, and some parts can be rather strenuous for cycling. The highest hill is Wadjemup Hill, 45 metres high, and that is where the lighthouse is perched upon.

Wadjemup is the Noongar name of the island, and it means “the place across the water where the spirits are”. This land is that of the Traditional Owners, the Whadjuk Noongar people, who are Aboriginal people across Western Australia. Some 6,500 years ago, Wadjemup was connected to the mainland but it became an island after the sea level rose.

Following the colonisation of Western Australia in the early 1800s, Wadjemup was used by the European settlers first as a prison, then as a forced labour camp for thousands of Aboriginal men and boys. At least 373 Aboriginal men and boys died in custody and were buried in unmarked graves on the island. In 1931, the last prisoner on the island was escorted to the mainland, marking the end of the era of Wadjemup as a place for internment. Hence, this island holds painful memories for the Aboriginal people, and the Rottnest Island Authority acknowledge the Whadjuk Noongar people as the Traditional Owners of Wadjemup and pay their respects to Elders past, present and future.

Notwithstanding its dark history, Rottnest Island today is a great place for recreation, both for locals to enjoy a nice day out and for tourists to experience the best of Perth’s sun, sand and the sea. For those who wish to stay overnight, there are several accommodation options ranging from campsites to dormitories to heritage cottages. However, most people come here for a day trip. You can explore the island by bus, walking or Segway, but the best way to get around is by bicycle. According to the helpful tips on my copy of the Rottnest Island Map, it is best to ride around the island clockwise to have the wind at your back, so that was what I did.

From Pedal & Flipper Rottnest Hire, I cycled on Parker Point Road past the chalets and the old railway line before I had my first glimpse of the ocean at around 10am. From then on, the road mostly hugged the coastline so it provided dramatic views of the ocean beyond. I stopped several times just to admire the scenery. It was very soothing to watch the waves roll in. It made me so happy because I don’t get to see this kind of views at all in Singapore.

At 10:25am, I decided that the azure waters were simply too good to resist. I parked my bicycle at Little Salmon Bay and headed to the small white sand beach enclosed within a little bay. There were several other people enjoying their morning swim in the shallow waters. I changed into my swim shorts and took a dip in the ocean. The water was cool but oh so refreshing! Following my swim, I took out my ham & cheese croissant from my bag and found it squashed, but it still tasted yummy.

After the cool down session, I continued cycling along Parker Point Road, stopping ever so often to take photos of the vast ocean, the rugged coastline and the gorgeous white sand beaches. Set against the cloudless blue sky, it was simply picture perfect.

I then headed towards the Wadjemup Lighthouse. As Parker Point Road ended in a T-junction and became Digby Drive, I somehow misread the sign and took a right turn instead of a left. I found myself further and further away from the lighthouse before I did the sensible thing and turned back. When I returned to the T-junction, I saw that I had indeed turned the wrong way. How silly of me!

The ride up to Wadjemup Lighthouse was steep because it was the highest point on the island. Once up there, I was rewarded with a great view of the entire Rottnest Island. I took the opportunity to catch my breath and rest for a while, because it was noon and it was getting very hot by then.

The original lighthouse was built in 1851 and it was in operation for 40 years before it was decided that a new one be built. The present Wadjemup Lighthouse is located 15.25 metres west of the old tower and it is 38 metres tall, completed in 1896. You can join a guided tour and climb the lighthouse, with tours running every 30 minutes from 10:00am to 2:30pm. Tickets cost A$15 for adults and A$7 for children. I saw a couple going up but I did not join in.

After the brief sojourn at Wadjemup Lighthouse, I continued cycling on Digby Drive until I reached the intersection with Bovell Way, where I turned right instead of continuing straight along Digby Drive, which would have brought me to the westernmost point of Rottnest Island. I would have loved to explore that area but I was running out of time as I had to catch the 2:30pm ferry back to Fremantle.

Along Bovell Way, I passed by many more beautiful beaches. I could never get tired of the ocean views. At 12:40pm, I decided to take another dip at Little Parakeet Bay. It was another small beach with soft, white sand and clear waters.

I then cycled passed by Lake Baghdad, one of the 12 salt lakes on Rottnest Island. These lakes occupy 10% of the island and the water in the lakes is four times saltier than that in the sea. At certain angles, the water in the lake appeared pink. The strong winds resulted in the waves lapping the shore, creating bundles of white foam which drifted onto the road and sky when the wind was particularly gusty.

After that, I turned right to Geordie Bay Road and back to Digby Drive. I returned the bicycle at 1:40pm and went for a shower at one of the public toilets nearby. I also spotted quokkas foraging for food at the settlement area. Quokkas are the stars of Rottnest Island as they are found only in small areas of southwestern Australia, particularly on Rottnest Island and on Bald Island near Albany. Like kangaroos and wallabies, quokkas are marsupials, about the size of a domestic cat, but they look more like giant rats from afar.

Despite this unflattering comparison, quokkas are adorable! When you look at them directly from the front, it appears that they are smiling, earning them the tag of being the happiest animals in the world. It has also resulted in many people taking quokka selfies, including celebrities like Roger Federer when he visited Rottnest Island in 2017.

I was tempted to take one but there were many people nearby and I didn’t want to get down on all fours to capture a selfie with the quokka. In any case, quokkas are a vulnerable species and there were signs asking visitors to respect the following guidelines:

• Observe the quokkas as they go about their natural movements
• Let them forage for their own food
• Keep your distance and do not touch them
• Keep foot (and cycle) traffic on the paths

Hence, I decided to respect the guidelines and just observe them from a distance, so no quokka selfie for me!

In all, I spent around four hours cycling on Rottnest Island, including two trips to the beach. I enjoyed myself thoroughly. I could have booked a later ferry back but I wanted to spend some time in Fremantle. At 2:30pm, I departed Rottnest Island and arrived back at B Shed Terminal at 3:11pm.

Despite having visited Fremantle twice before, I never had much time to explore the city as I always returned late after a day out at Rottnest Island, so I wanted to have a proper look this time round. But first, there was important business to settle. I did a search on Google Maps and found three record stores to visit. I went to the one furthest away first – Junction Records, located at 27/35 William Street. With mobile data and Google Maps these days, getting around on your own is so easy. Technology really makes travel so much more convenient.

As I walked along High Street, it became apparent to me that Fremantle is a very pretty place. Known as Perth’s Old Town, the city centre is chock full of old, colonial-era buildings that have been excellently preserved. Within Fremantle, more than 250 historic buildings have been classified for their heritage value, most of which are in the West End. Many of the buildings along High Street had beautiful verandahs with elaborate steelwork characteristic of the Victorian era. The lack of skyscrapers and modern buildings made me feel as if I had travelled back in time. It was compounded by the fact that it was very quiet in the city centre on this Thursday afternoon.

I soon reached High Street Mall, a pedestrian shopping street where more contemporary retail shops like Cotton On are found. Around the corner was the Fremantle Town Hall, occupying the corner of High, William and Adelaide Streets. It cast an imposing presence with its 32-metre high clock tower and Victorian Free Classical style façade. Indeed, the Town Hall is the tallest building in the West End conservation area. The Town Hall opened in 1887, coinciding with the celebration of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.

When I arrived at Junction Records at 3:30pm, I was disappointed to see that it was closed, because Google Maps stated its opening hours as 11am to 4:30pm on Thursdays. I peered through the glass door to see if there was anyone inside. The lights were on but there was no one around. Just as I was about to leave, a man came up and unlocked the door to the store. He probably went for a toilet break. Good timing!

Junction Records wasn’t very big but it was a good, old-fashioned record store, with plenty of CDs, a good collection of new and secondhand vinyl and a small briefcase of cassette tapes. I managed to unearth three items here – a copy of MJ’s Blood On The Dance Floor CD album with a nice, big hype sticker (A$13/S$11.40), a Japanese CD pressing of MJ/The Jackson Five’s greatest hits album (A$13), and a 7-inch vinyl of Janet’s Let’s Wait Awhile single with generic sleeve (A$3/S$2.64). Pleased with my mini haul, I proceeded to my next stop – Mills Records, just a short distance away at 22 Adelaide Street.

Mills Records was slightly larger but its collection was not as well-organised and it had a more punkish, underground feel. The store was messy and run down, and I didn’t find anything of interest there. I left after 10 minutes and walked to the last shop on my list – The Record Finder, located at 43 High Street.

I had saved the best for last as The Record Finder was a huge store with a veritable collection of new and used rare records, cassettes, CDs, vinyls, movies and magazines. It was just the type of record store that I loved the most – I felt excited just by looking at all the titles being displayed on its two large storefront glass windows.

The range was impressive and I spent a good half an hour browsing through every shelf and rack. However, I only bought one item here – a cassette copy of MJ’s Thriller album (A$25/S$21.90), where the album cover was horizontal instead of the usual vertical orientation. Nevertheless, I was happy with my rare find. At 4:50pm, I left The Record Finder and walked west towards the beach.

At the end of High Street was The Round House, the oldest remaining public building in Western Australia. Built as a gaol in 1831, it was used to hold any person committed of a crime in the settlement until 1886. Thereafter, it became a police lock-up until 1900. It was then used as living quarters for the chief constable and afterwards as a storage facility for Fremantle Ports. Its hilltop position demonstrates the important role of law and order in the first years of the Swan River Colony.

A tunnel below The Round House connects High Street to Bathers Beach, also known as Whalers Beach. Bathers Bay was known as a whale trap because whales would frequently get beached here. The Fremantle Whaling Company was established in 1837 and it funded the construction of the tunnel to provide direct access to the Town of Fremantle for the sale of whale goods to the community. The tunnel was built using convict labour. The original tunnel was 64 metres long but quarrying of the western cliff of Arthur’s Head (a large limestone headland at the mouth of the Swan River) has reduced the length of the tunnel to 46 metres.

After emerging from the tunnel, I walked along Bathers Beach and soon reached Kailis’ Fishmarket Café. Kailis’ is one of the two famous restaurants at Fremantle selling fish & chips. The other is Cicerello’s, right next door. Both offered waterfront views of the Fremantle harbour. I went to Cicerello’s the last time I came to Fremantle in March 2015, but on my previous visit in 2007, I dined at Kailis’. This time round, I decided to eat at Kailis’ again. Both restaurants were very quiet on this weekday evening.

I ordered the Seafood Delight combo pack for A$27.50 (S$24.09), which came with one fish fillet, five squid rings, two prawns and three scallops, plus chips (fries). I also ordered a bottle of Bundaberg traditional lemonade drink (A$5). The food took a while to be ready and I was famished by the time I tucked in. To be honest, the fish & chips were good, but not to die for.

After I was done with my meal at 6pm, I walked to Esplanade Park nearby because the Ferris wheel caught my attention. I wanted to ride it for fun but baulked when I saw that the ticket price was A$12 (S$10.51), so I went for a stroll instead. Esplanade Park was surrounded by many tall, majestic and mature Norfolk Island pine trees. It was just so relaxing and beautiful, especially at that magic hour when the entire park was bathed in a warm evening glow.

Back at the Fremantle train station, I just missed the train to Perth by a few seconds as I was buying my ticket from the machine, so I had to wait 14 minutes for the next one. I departed Fremantle at 6:42pm and arrived at Perth station at 7:11pm.

As usual, I went to Woolworths to buy my favourite fresh orange juice drink (for Vitamin C) and a New York-style baked cheese cake for supper (two slices for A$5.50). I also took the opportunity to buy some Tim Tams (they were half-priced, at only A$2.25 a packet) and nougats (A$4.65 per 100g packet) as gifts for family and friends.

So, here’s a pro-tip: buy your Tim Tams and nougats at Woolworths or any supermarket in the city/suburb because they’re much cheaper than at the airport! When I went to the airport the next day, I saw that the Tim Tams were selling for A$7.09 per packet and the nougats were A$9.99 a packet. Even with the promo of four packets of Tim Tams for A$20, it was still more expensive than what I paid at Woolworths. Yup, so don’t buy them at the last-minute and let the airport fleece you.

After my shopping trip at Woolworths, there was nothing left on my agenda for the day so I went back to my hostel before 8pm. After a good shower, I packed my bags and went to bed at 10pm. It was a long but fulfilling day. Third time to Rottnest Island, but still as enjoyable as ever. One last sleep in Perth before I fly home tomorrow!